Seems as though hundreds of years’ worth of sayings, adages and conventional wisdom tells us that once we’re set in our ways, change is practically impossible. When it comes to academic behaviors, such as disengagement in class or not turning in completed homework, bad habits can seem to be overwhelming obstacles to student success — for the teacher, as well as the student.

But what if our brains aren’t actually hard-wired that way? What if, with the right guidance, they can turn bad habits into good? Our friends at Sentis created this brief video to illustrate how our brains are constantly forming new connections and pathways that make it possible for us to create new patterns in our minds and lives. It can help your students get a metacognitive perspective on…

In the summer of 1965, Mississippi was the most dangerous place to be for an African American. During this time, there were a lot of educational and political issues in Mississippi, relating to African Americans. Most people that were elected as political officials were white, due to the fact that the state didn’t believe that blacks were capable to have such high positions. It was organizations like SNCC and the Mississippi freedom democratic party that were able to provide blacks with both participation in the new political party as well as the creation of “freedom schools.” These aspects help develop a function for the African Americans basis of their academic and political knowledge. Through these organizations I learned that it takes numerous of people and groups of creative thinkers to make such a huge racial difference, especially when it comes to high positioned responsibilities for a whole state. Also, I learned that in order to create a reaction, you need participants willing to make moves and take action on a pressing issue to develop a new dynamic.